John Best, managing director of Best Proactive is the winner of our competition to win a year’s Norfolk Chambers’ events pass – a prize that he has donated to help support the next generation of business leaders.
What you need is a way to network, gain business insights, connect with other businesses and learn something new. What we do is have a packed programme of virtual and face-to-face events that enable you to do all this and more. What You Need Is What We Do, so when we launched our competition to win a year’s pass to some of our flagship events we were inundated with entries.
However, there could only be one winner, and in the spirit of collaboration it was managing director of Best Proactive John Best’s entry that caught the eye of the judges: ‘Tagging in Rachel Bunn. I love the idea of this prize, having spoken at a Graduation Event for Students and seen the excitement and fantastic determination highlighted through those who have succeeded, often shared through heart-warming tales of adversity and going the extra mile. I think that Norfolk Chambers of Commerce should offer one such ticket as a prize each year, in recognition that developing skills is a great achievement. But #networking and using those skills helps to makes them sustainable.’
True to his word, John donated his prize to East Coast College with which he also donated his time to mentor the students before they attend the events.
Said John: “It took no time at all for me to decide to offer the prize to Rachel (at East Coast College) for use through the college for the next year. As part of this I will also help to coach people who go to such events to get best value from them, which will include:
· Prepare and practice a short “elevator pitch” for yourself, something short, interesting and engaging.
· Don’t be shy, talk to at least three new people.
· Make a simple little business card to exchange details.
· Follow up promptly with a short, nice email, just to thank them for making you feel welcome.
· Ask if you can connect with them on LinkedIn.
· Update your own profile by posting a short article about your experience.
“I was a manager of Norfolk and Waveney Chamber of Commerce, over 20 years ago, so I know the value of Networking. This month I will have been at it for some 50 years having begun my career as a 16-year-old Navigating Cadet in 1971. In the last few years I have been working through The Ogden Trust, and the Coastal Energy Internship Programme to help create pathways to potential careers in the Energy and Engineering sectors for young people.”
Rachel Bunn, assistant principal – apprenticeships and employer engagement, director of East Coast Energy Training Academy and Stem Lead for East Coast College said: “East Coast College is so grateful to John for his donation, this will enable us to support staff and students to access business awareness events run by Norfolk Chambers.”
You can discover our programme of events here